Sports Basketball

Sports fans will cheer for these exciting titles, which capture some of the most thrilling moments in college and professional sports. From buzzer-beater basketball shots and amazing trick football plays to soccer’s World Cup goals and baseball’s World Series home runs, these titles are packed with action stories. Listeners will also meet each sport’s superstars and record holders—and revel in all the fascinating facts every fan wants to know.

The LA Lakers have long been one of the NBA's most exciting teams. In The Show, critically acclaimed sportswriter Roland Lazenby brings the story of this charismatic team to life in an unprecedented oral history, featuring such legendary players as Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Magic Johnson, along with current stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Available once again for a new generation, the first volume in Arthur Ashe’s epic trilogy that chronicles the remarkable legacy of Black athletes in the United States—a major addition to our understanding of American history and the fulfillment of this legendary sports star and global activist’s lifelong dream.

In this vivid and lively account, Thomas J. Whalen chronicles Russell's memorable last season and the Celtics' dazzling triumph. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s and Boston's own turbulent and bitter struggles with race, he tells the fascinating story of how an improbable championship team overcame poor health, indifferent fans, disruptive personnel changes, and internal morale problems. Whalen recounts how Russell transformed the game of basketball during his remarkable career and revisits the outspoken superstar's conflicted relationship with Boston.

It’s not long before Nate realizes that basketball is his sport. But Nate has an ax to grind with star players Colin and Bo, who have disrespected him for years. Nate believes that outplaying those two is the most important thing . . . until he learns that life is about more than getting ready for the next game.

Available once again for a new generation of audiences, the second volume in Arthur Ashe’s epic trilogy that chronicles the remarkable legacy of Black athletes in the United States—a major addition to our understanding of American history and the fulfillment of this legendary sports star and global activist’s lifelong dream.

There are few places more exciting than the basketball court. Yet few kids realize just how exciting the whole story of the game really is. More than 210 million people follow the NBA league across its various social media platforms, making it the most popular sports league in the world. So why is it that no one really understands its history? If your kids aspire to be the next LeBron James, they’re already hungry for basketball knowledge.

Long before he hit the big time as the play-by-play voice of the Texas Longhorns and San Antonio Spurs, sportscaster Bill Schoening paid lots of dues. Stories, Sports, and Songs is a collection of 101 tales that chronicle Schoening's unlikely and often humorous radio journey.

By the Fall of 1966, Syracuse had become a city at the crossroads–literally and figuratively. Situated at the geographic heart of New York and the intersection of two all-new interstate highways, the city found itself on a collision course with not only time, but circumstance.

Three decades of Illinois basketball viewed from the cheap seats at State Farm Center . . .The 200 Level: An Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball Fan’s Journey offers an in-depth look at the program’s history from the 1990s to present. Mike Carpenter reflects on his personal experience as a fan through all the eras, from Henson to Kruger, Self to Weber, Groce to Underwood, and everything in between. A lifelong townie, radio and podcast personality, and diehard fan, Carpenter charts the highs and lows of Illini basketball over the last 30+ years.

Elijah Thomas knows one thing better than anyone around him: basketball. But when a sinister street gang, Blood Street Nation, wants him and his team members to wear the Nation’s colors in the next big tournament, Elijah’s love of the game is soon thrown into jeopardy. The boys gather their courage and take a stand against the gang, but at a terrible cost. Now Elijah must struggle to balance hope and fear, revenge and forgiveness, to save his neighborhood. For help, he turns to the most unlikely of friends: Banks, a gruff ex–military man, and his beautiful and ambitious daughter.

When much of the US was segregated, Black athletes were not allowed to play alongside white athletes. Black athletes started their own sports leagues, including the Black Fives. Learn about basketball's beginnings and the stars of the Black Fives Era, including Charles "Tarzan" Cooper and Ora Washington. Then discover how the National Basketball Association became integrated, what led to the creation of the Women's National Basketball Association, and how the Black Fives had a lasting impact.

Buffalo, Home of the Braves chronicles the rise and fall of the National Basketball Association franchise in Western New York that existed from 1970-1978. The team roster included such key players and personalities as Bob McAdoo, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Randy Smith, Paul Snyder, Jack Marin, Gar Heard, John Shumate, and Ernie DiGregorio. The Braves made history with their up-tempo style of play and had three Rookies of the Year. This award-winning book highlights each of those memorable seasons, including the playoffs.

Kevin Durant is one of the NBA's best basketball players, and now is an NBA champion! What many don't know though is how Durant was able to rise to stardom. As a child he grew up in a poor family in a rough neighborhood, where they struggled to get by. Somehow though, he was able to overcome all odds and join the NBA's elite, and finally fulfill his dream of becoming an NBA champion! This book takes you through Kevin Durant's life and career to date. You will learn all about his childhood, his high school and college careers, and of course his time in the NBA.

Jack Scratch is the star player for his high school basketball team, on the fast track to a college scholarship and perhaps a career in the NBA. Jack's journey takes a detour after single mother Janet is saved from a mugger by two boxers: Karl "Sweet Sugar" Brown, a former heavyweight contender who now trains fighters, and Paveli "Punch" Pangora, a Slovenian slugger seeking US citizenship.

For some the game of basketball is just a game; for others, a lifelong calling. *Life Lessons Thru the Lens of Basketball* is a celebration of values like perseverance, adaptability, and teamwork. Each chapter explores quotes from legends such as Dr. J, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Pat Riley, Wilt Chamberlain, Dwyane Wade, and Kobe Bryant, showing how challenges on the court mirror those in life.

At a time when heroes are too rare, C. Vivian Stringer sets a shining example. She has time and again shown character, fortitude, and heart, both on and off the hardwood, and in the face of unbearable loss. In Standing Tall, she shares her remarkable life story, inspiring us to find this fortitude within ourselves.

The inspiring story of Isaiah Austin, the man who captured our hearts when he was made the honorary NBA draft pick after a shocking diagnosis ended his professional basketball career before he could even step onto the court.

When filmmaker Christian Monroe runs into fiery - and frustrating - Elise Templeton at a party, the night quickly becomes the hottest one-night stand of their lives. But then her boss hires Christian to make a publicity film about Elise, and suddenly they're in each other's space. All day. Every day. And things are getting hotter....

Cassidy Sanderson is a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers - the only female scout in the major leagues. Hard-living and hard-drinking, a gifted athlete herself, she takes pride in successfully competing in a male world. But recently she has been losing prospects on the sign, and her job security is teetering on the edge. When she gets a tip from a close friend and fellow scout about Alberto Cruz, a young phenom in the Dominican Republic, she impulsively catches a flight to Santo Domingo - even though it is out of her territory....